In southern Turkey, right on the Mediterranean Sea, a venue was built that draws on the climate conditions of the region. The solutions used at the arena allow it to consume less water and obtain energy from sunlight.

Yeni Hatay Stadyumu is located on the outskirts of Antakya, a city in Hatay Province, right on the border with Syria. Once located in the city centre, Antakya Atatürk Stadyumu (Hatayspor's former home) was demolished following the commissioning of the new venue. The plot after the old stadium was turned into a city garden.

Although the design of the new facility was created in 2014, construction works did not start until 2 years later. Hatayspor's arena was completed in early 2021 and was to be inaugurated in March with a match against Fenerbahçe.

© Cem Ceylan

However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the game was canceled, and the official opening took place on June 25, 2021, with the participation of the President of Turkey, but without the presence of spectators in the stands. The inaugural match took place on August 14 when Atakaş Hatayspor faced Kasimpaşa A.Ş (1-1).

The construction of the facility cost TRY 142.9 million, and its contractor was Sertka Mühendislik. The design of the venue was developed by the Erdem Dokuzer and Alper Aksoy Architects studio that was responsible, among others, for the concept of the Kocaelispor stadium.

The outer form of the facility is defined by the roof, which consists of two J-shaped overlapping parts. Both are in the club's colors, i.e. maroon and white. The bowl-shaped auditorium has two levels and 25,000 seats, with the upper one having much fewer seats than the lower one, 10,000 and 15,000 respectively. Between them there is a strip of 24 boxes.

© proconyapi.com

The players' dressing rooms and referee rooms are located at the rear of the west stand. There is also a press zone on the west side. The built-up area of the stadium is 55,395 square metres. Right next to the venue there is a parking lot for 1,500 vehicles. Interestingly, it is covered with solar panels that meet the energy needs of the stadium.

The materials used as well as the construction solutions ensure that the stadium maintains the optimum temperature for the audience during the summer months. Perforations in the façade provide perfect ventilation of the interior thanks to the Mediterranean winds. On the roof, rainwater channels have been created that allow water to be recovered.

Authors: Karol Tatar, Tomasz Sobura

© Cem Ceylan